Things bubble up sometimes This conversation was important I got to know you better And we've identified an issue we can solve once we ditch this caravan
( checking in on a man who may still be hurt.
he trusted noctis to inform him, and noctis should trust him to help. they're becoming closer, which would ordinarily scare kaladin. it doesn't this time. )
[ He feels... both better and worse. It's a lighter feeling, getting to actually talk to someone about his negative emotions as well as his positive ones. But the guilt of opening up and having his views go unchallenged again is something that leaves him unexpectedly adrift and crushingly self-conscious now that he's calming down. ]
Trust me I'm ready to be out and to get back
I'm guessing the situation there is pretty rough too
[ His own camper has been abuzz with unnecessary chatter, the kind that has served only to annoy him further while they've carried on a conversation he's both needed and dreaded. It was a distraction from his thoughts, thoughts that had turned uncharitable the longer the background noise continued and his comrades sank in his estimation from teammates to disturbances.
Now, with Kaladin's final words unexpectedly leaping into prominence and causing a groundswell of emotion to manifest in a tight chest, he's dizzyingly grateful.
They don't hear the soft grunt as he attempts to clear a growing lump from his throat and they don't look beyond the glow of bright eyes β a clear indicator of his ongoing conversation β to recognize that they're wet. Whatever words Kaladin might've added to provide clarity to a broad offer (that his assistance extends to helping a stubborn old man, or that Noctis can have another pair of hands in dealing with any other civilians in need that they might encounter) don't matter, and he liberally applies it right where he needs it.
Yes, it's been lonely. Yes, he's needed help addressing grief that he's managed to even mildly relieve in a conversation where he nevertheless wasn't forced to apply a direct label to his father's condition.
And no one has directly said something quite so open and quite so caring.
Fingers brush against wet cheeks, stunned to feel tears against his fingertips, before adamantly wiping them away, regaining some semblance of composure. ]
I can't believe you're still interested in learning Most people would've given up on all that by now They're not very useful here when messaging can be done more quickly with the implant
( noctis doesn't know what he's saying. the care he needs is challenging to give, and as a friend, kaladin believes he's only shown himself to be physically reliable. socially and emotionally, hasn't he failed everyone he's cared about?
he and noctis have grown closer these past couple of months. it took more time for the members of the bridge crew he ran with to ally themselves under his leadership and become his comrades. now he can feel it... the familiar pull noctis has on him, so like adolin in his obstinacy to be present for him.
it's impossible to define clearly; kaladin knows he's refusing to hear it in his tone of voice or see it in how they interact with each other. he can't internalize thisβworse, externalize it and put it on a relationship that is so new. he doesn't want to be a burden, as he's been so many times before.
that doesn't mean noctis' kind words aren't clung to. they settle over him like a warm, heavy blanket, comforting and encompassing. a man could get addicted to that kind of attention. )
You'd be a wind runner Of all the orders of radiants You'd be like me
Which would make you a member of bridge four My crew My men
[ What he expects is perhaps a final wearing down of Kaladin that ends in his agreement to teach him, or maybe a few jokes at the expense of Noctis's competitive nature. Insteadβ ]
You decided that pretty fast
[ It feels like an invitation to be part of something. Noctis doesn't need to know what that is necessarily to feel warmth over his own inclusion. ]
What's it mean to be a wind runner? And to be in your crew
No I didn't I've been considering it for some time now
Being a wind runner means whatever you want it to mean You follow the path where you'd like it to go It's the freedom to make choices and have the power to do so
So is bridge four The name has evolved beyond its original meaning Now it means you're one of us and we're one of you Our comrades will be grateful to you for looking out for me You're welcome anywhere we are
[ There's an odd mixture of gratitude and apprehension that washes over him, and the latter fades as Kaladin explains just what it is to be part of his alliance. To be a wind runner, to be welcomed into a role that clearly means so much to him but one which he's willing to share with him.
It's precious.
And suddenly, he becomes hyper-aware of just how much. ]
Sounds like a pretty serious offer
You sure you want some rich kid in your group? Bc maybe you don't take that stuff lightly but neither do I
We have light-eyed wind runners You're talking to one though it's been difficult for me to accept
All you need to know is this In bridge four there's a military hierarchy but this is for organization and safety None of it would function without common respect We're all comrades and we're all equal
I swear it to you as an oath I'm not in the habit of breaking those Not if I want to keep Syl alive and by extension my power
You'll understand soon how true I'm being I should actually warn you about that My close friends have a habit of picking up my abilities within a certain range of me
( recognizing there's a struggle happening here he doesn't fully understand, kaladin has one solutionβthe solution. a bridge four cure-all.
it's time to eat stew. )
When we get back to base come share a meal with me You'll feel better about it then
[ Food as a magical cure-all. It's nostalgic and immediately forces him to think of Ignis, suddenly finding himself once again missing the company of those closest to him. It's funny how quickly Kaladin is becoming the same kind of comfort, though. ]
Bc I have a lot of questions now, so you get to decide if you want to answer them over food or if you have time to go through them like this
Like your being a light eyes or where I'd stack up in some military ranking, or what your oaths have to do with Syl
Or picking up abilities, you can't just say that and move on
Over food That's the best time to talk about anything
It's not that the answers are difficult or troubling but they may be elaborate
I ought to at least inform you that the abilities are nothing to be concerned about They're a normal extension of my power If you find yourself sticking to things and whatnot try to take it in stride I can control it but I don't see why I should You're already strong but you'll become stronger and therefore better protected
You really just told me to get over it if I start sticking to stuff?
[ Well. It's levity in a conversation that needs it desperately, and Kaladin's reassurances and stalwart reliability is just as craved. ]
You're crazy btw, just if I haven't said it today [ fond ]
I'll go ahead and build this food up in my head too. So it better meet my standards when I get it, and your answers better do the same bc I've got a lot of questions to run through
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
dark eyes soften. )
It sounds lonely
Being kept in the dark like that
no subject
[ That defensive reflex comes back and without warning, not even sure what it is he means to prove. Maybe this is all just still too new. ]
But thanks for listening
I wasn't planning to talk about this stuff when I messaged you
no subject
Thanks for talking about it
Things bubble up sometimes
This conversation was important
I got to know you better
And we've identified an issue we can solve once we ditch this caravan
( checking in on a man who may still be hurt.
he trusted noctis to inform him, and noctis should trust him to help. they're becoming closer, which would ordinarily scare kaladin. it doesn't this time. )
no subject
[ He feels... both better and worse. It's a lighter feeling, getting to actually talk to someone about his negative emotions as well as his positive ones. But the guilt of opening up and having his views go unchallenged again is something that leaves him unexpectedly adrift and crushingly self-conscious now that he's calming down. ]
Trust me I'm ready to be out and to get back
I'm guessing the situation there is pretty rough too
no subject
Everyone in the camper vehicle has lost their storming minds
( passive-aggressively plugs an ear at the noise )
We've had to move a few trees
Nothing too bad yet
The civilians are my highest priority
None of this data collection matters in comparison
I can be with you if you need me
1/2
Now, with Kaladin's final words unexpectedly leaping into prominence and causing a groundswell of emotion to manifest in a tight chest, he's dizzyingly grateful.
They don't hear the soft grunt as he attempts to clear a growing lump from his throat and they don't look beyond the glow of bright eyes β a clear indicator of his ongoing conversation β to recognize that they're wet. Whatever words Kaladin might've added to provide clarity to a broad offer (that his assistance extends to helping a stubborn old man, or that Noctis can have another pair of hands in dealing with any other civilians in need that they might encounter) don't matter, and he liberally applies it right where he needs it.
Yes, it's been lonely. Yes, he's needed help addressing grief that he's managed to even mildly relieve in a conversation where he nevertheless wasn't forced to apply a direct label to his father's condition.
And no one has directly said something quite so open and quite so caring.
Fingers brush against wet cheeks, stunned to feel tears against his fingertips, before adamantly wiping them away, regaining some semblance of composure. ]
Thanks
I'll probably take you up on that
2/2
Just an fyi that you have to watch that or people are going to get more info from you than you want to share
no subject
( and he means it. he doesn't sleep well anyway. )
Is that my implant you're talking about
Bah
I hadn't realized it was listening without my consent
Troubling
But I'll remember your warning
Thanks
I wish this thing weren't so crucial to our day-to-day
no subject
Hey
Teach me some of your glyphs when we meet up
no subject
I can't believe you're still interested in learning
Most people would've given up on all that by now
They're not very useful here when messaging can be done more quickly with the implant
no subject
If you're gonna be there for me then I'm gonna be there twice as hard for you, which means knowing more about you
no subject
he and noctis have grown closer these past couple of months. it took more time for the members of the bridge crew he ran with to ally themselves under his leadership and become his comrades. now he can feel it... the familiar pull noctis has on him, so like adolin in his obstinacy to be present for him.
it's impossible to define clearly; kaladin knows he's refusing to hear it in his tone of voice or see it in how they interact with each other. he can't internalize thisβworse, externalize it and put it on a relationship that is so new. he doesn't want to be a burden, as he's been so many times before.
that doesn't mean noctis' kind words aren't clung to. they settle over him like a warm, heavy blanket, comforting and encompassing. a man could get addicted to that kind of attention. )
You'd be a wind runner
Of all the orders of radiants
You'd be like me
Which would make you a member of bridge four
My crew
My men
I'll teach you the glyphs
And the salute
no subject
You decided that pretty fast
[ It feels like an invitation to be part of something. Noctis doesn't need to know what that is necessarily to feel warmth over his own inclusion. ]
What's it mean to be a wind runner? And to be in your crew
no subject
I've been considering it for some time now
Being a wind runner means whatever you want it to mean
You follow the path where you'd like it to go
It's the freedom to make choices and have the power to do so
So is bridge four
The name has evolved beyond its original meaning
Now it means you're one of us and we're one of you
Our comrades will be grateful to you for looking out for me
You're welcome anywhere we are
no subject
It's precious.
And suddenly, he becomes hyper-aware of just how much. ]
Sounds like a pretty serious offer
You sure you want some rich kid in your group? Bc maybe you don't take that stuff lightly but neither do I
So jokes aside you better mean it
no subject
We have light-eyed wind runners
You're talking to one though it's been difficult for me to accept
All you need to know is this
In bridge four there's a military hierarchy but this is for organization and safety
None of it would function without common respect
We're all comrades and we're all equal
no subject
Normal. Part of something, instead of outside of everything. It's what he's always wanted even if saying it out loud felt impossible.
There's so much he wants to ask even after so little, but anxiety rears its head. ]
Nah I'm serious
I need to hear one more time real quick that nothing would change your mind about that and make you take it back
no subject
I'm not in the habit of breaking those
Not if I want to keep Syl alive and by extension my power
You'll understand soon how true I'm being
I should actually warn you about that
My close friends have a habit of picking up my abilities within a certain range of me
( recognizing there's a struggle happening here he doesn't fully understand, kaladin has one solutionβthe solution. a bridge four cure-all.
it's time to eat stew. )
When we get back to base come share a meal with me
You'll feel better about it then
no subject
[ Food as a magical cure-all. It's nostalgic and immediately forces him to think of Ignis, suddenly finding himself once again missing the company of those closest to him. It's funny how quickly Kaladin is becoming the same kind of comfort, though. ]
Bc I have a lot of questions now, so you get to decide if you want to answer them over food or if you have time to go through them like this
Like your being a light eyes or where I'd stack up in some military ranking, or what your oaths have to do with Syl
Or picking up abilities, you can't just say that and move on
no subject
That's the best time to talk about anything
It's not that the answers are difficult or troubling but they may be elaborate
I ought to at least inform you that the abilities are nothing to be concerned about
They're a normal extension of my power
If you find yourself sticking to things and whatnot try to take it in stride
I can control it but I don't see why I should
You're already strong but you'll become stronger and therefore better protected
no subject
[ Well. It's levity in a conversation that needs it desperately, and Kaladin's reassurances and stalwart reliability is just as craved. ]
You're crazy btw, just if I haven't said it today [ fond ]
I'll go ahead and build this food up in my head too. So it better meet my standards when I get it, and your answers better do the same bc I've got a lot of questions to run through
no subject
I said try to get over it because I've seen many people fail
Important distinction
But go ahead and call me names
I'm not the only crazy one between us
Keep an open mind
This isn't going to be a home cooked meal
And if it is you'll have a lot more to worry about than sticking to stuff
See you soon lucky bag
no subject
That's "see" "you" "later". I even put it into glyphs for you
[ Yeah that's right, these are the jokes you suffer until you teach him formally. ]
I'll tell you all about how much crazier you are than me when we meet up, doctor π
no subject
Prove it to me
π₯±
And that's surgeon to you
no subject
Later, doc
[ shameless ]